By Ashlee Tulloch
After a Four Nations worth forgetting, the lack of reception at Auckland Airport was no surprise for the Kiwis.
“Losing is never the plan and we just didn’t play to our potential in most of our games and we definitely shot ourselves in the foot a few times,” says Simon Mannering.
The Kiwis 28-6 capitulation at the hands of England led to their early exit from the tournament.
“They just played simple football and stuck to it, they built a lot of pressure against us and that showed and that’s how they scored 28 points,” Mannering says.
But by no means was the experience lost on 22-year-old debutant Elijah Taylor.
“I learnt so much on this tour, I learnt everything. It was pretty special just playing at Wembley too, so memories forever,” says Taylor.
For only the second time in the last six international tournaments the Kiwis won't be playing in the final, not that Lewis Brown will be watching the Kangaroos take on England for the trophy.
“I've had enough footy at the moment, I just wanna get away from the month or so, refresh the mind, its been a long season for me and its been an enjoyable one and now its time to kick back and get my own R and R,” says Lewis Brown.
With no tournament scheduled in 2012 the Kiwis won’t have a chance to redeem themselves next year, but come 2013 they'll be back in England to defend their World Cup title, a task that will be no easy feat.
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